St. Isidore names Rick Ahern its Distinguished Graduate of the Year

Rick Ahern, owner of Cassidy Tire and Service in Addison and a 1986 graduate of St. Isidore Catholic Grade School in Bloomingdale, was named the school's 2015 Distinguished Graduate of the Year at a presentation ceremony during St. Isidore's recent gala/auction dinner dance fundraiser.

Ahern was selected by faculty and staff after being nominated via an online process. The honor was a reintroduction of the school's Distinguished Graduate of the Year program that had lapsed for several years.

"We wanted to reintroduce this program as an alumni relations initiative, and decided to identify each year's award winner from now on through a formal program instituted by the National Catholic Education Association," said Mike Yerly, St. Isidore School's director of development. "The program calls for graduates of a school to be nominated, and the nomination to include three achievements of the graduate that reflect the characteristics of his or her education received in a Catholic elementary school. We also had to state in 25 words or fewer, the nominee's belief in Catholic education. We feel that Rick most certainly fills all these requirements."

Since graduating from St. Isidore in 1986, Ahern has remained active in parish and school activities, and today sends his three children to St. Isidore. He has volunteered countless hours to the school by serving on various committees, coaching St. Isidore athletic teams, being involved in several school fundraising initiatives, and sponsoring major events at the school through his company.

"Rick truly has shared his time, talent and treasures with his alma mater and St. Isidore Parish, and is known for his compassion and understanding of people in his job, civic and volunteer activities, characteristics which he attributes to having developed largely because of his St. Isidore Catholic grade school education," Yerly said.

Following his graduation from St. Isidore, Ahern graduated from St. Francis High School in Wheaton and attended college at St. Mary's University in Winona, Minnesota. He then joined the family business where today he is owner of the 100-year-old Addison-based business.

Also recognized at the Gala Auction/Dinner Dance was 1984 St. Isidore graduate Gus Serio of West Chicago, who was named the school's first Alumnus of the Year in 2009, a precursor to the newly instituted Distinguished Graduate Award. Both Ahern and Serio will have their names inscribed on a new, permanent plaque that will be displayed in the school where future distinguished graduates will be memorialized.